Sinus Rhythm ECG Analysis in AF Patients

As illustrated in the study flowchart (Figure 1), Consecutive patients referred to our center between 2017 and 2021 for electrophysiological study were screened for study inclusion. Inclusion criteria were availability of a high-quality digital 12-lead ECG in sinus rhythm. Exclusion criteria were prior right- or left-atrial ablations, prior cardiac surgery or pacemaker-implantation of any kind. Patients with confirmed diagnosis of paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation were allocated to the AF-cohort. Patients who presented with AF in their admission ECG, first underwent electrical cardioversion to sinus rhythm and were scheduled for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) 6–8 weeks thereafter. In these patients, the analysis of 12-lead-ECGs during sinus rhythm was based on ECG recordings from the rehopsitalisation (i.e., 6–8 weeks after electrical cardioversion to SR). For the purpose of the current study, patients diagnosed with atrio-ventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia in the absence of AF or other arrhythmia were considered as control cohort.